


Tires

by podcastalien



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-07-15 23:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16073729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/podcastalien/pseuds/podcastalien
Summary: Mike shows and up late to the quarry with slashed tires and Bill can’t shake a funny feeling.





	1. part one

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings Hanbroughs, I posted this on tumblr and no one read it. idk if it’s bc this sucks or just because this is a rare pair but maybe it’ll get better reception on here? It’s fine if not it was a labor of love anyway because I love this ship and it needs more content. Nerd boys who have crushes on each other. We stan. Leave me your thoughts or visit me on the tumblr @coffeekaspbrak

It’s a hot, sunny day at the Derry quarry and summer is going out with a bang. August is breathing it’s final breaths as the sun beams harshly on the faces of children anxiously preparing to go back to school. Six such children lay easily on their backs, causally awaiting their last friend to join them for one of their swims. Their sophomore year of high school is a measly nine days away. Well, five are casual, Bill Denbrough is the odd man out as he waits for the sound of Mike Hanlon’s bike.    
  
Bill was always a little anxious when someone was late. After all that’s happened, he doesn’t take much to the idea of anyone being by them self. Still, he tries to swallow the lump in his throat and enjoy the sunshine and his company.    
The sound of light footsteps on the trail leading to the rocks cause him to jolt him out of his thoughts. His eyes fall on a disheveled looking Mike Hanlon, sporting dirt on his denim overalls and exhaustion on his face. He’s holding his bike handles, basket empty and tires flat.    
“Holy hell! What happened to you?” Bill hears Richie’s loud, distinctive shout as they all come to meet him.    
  
He sees Eddie rush over to him, tiny legs carrying him furiously. He grabs Mike by the shoulders and ushers him over to the rock his fanny pack had been tossed aside on earlier that day.  “Are you hurt?” Eddie blurts, sitting him down before digging around in the contents of his bag. He stops fumbling only to scan Mike for cuts and bruises with his sharply trained eyes. “I don’t think so Ed.” Mike says, gently.  His smile only tugs at the right side of his face, absent from the rest of his features.    
  
“Relax Eds.” Richie says, approaching them followed by the rest of the group. He wraps an arm around Eddie and ruffles his hair, “Kid uses band aides like it’s the end of the fucking world.”    
  
Bill feels the words jumble in his mouth as he stares at Mike, “Wh-Wh-what h-ha-happened?”    
  
Mike lets out a sigh, “Some assholes slashed my tires while I was doing a delivery.”    
  
“Son of a bitch,” Bev says, sunglasses resting lower on her nose.    
“Yeah,” Mike responds, it’s tired and weak and Bill feels that same drop in his heart.    
“Maybe your meat gave someone something and this was revenge,” Stan theories with a finger to his chin. Richie lets out a cackle, “Oh my god... too good Stan the Man.”   
Stan’s eyes sharpen and wrinkle, “you know that’s not what I meant you sick fu-.”    
“Now is not the time for dick jokes or bickering you guys,” Ben states. Richie laughs again, “Oh my dear Ben, it’s always time for dick jokes. But enough with the cliff notes, give me the full scoop, Mikey.”

He looks at the ground, “There really isn’t much to tell. I just came out and my tires looked funny. I tried riding my bike anyway because it’s a long walk but I fell over. I just want to forget about it for now, guys.”    


“But don’t you want to know who-“ Eddie starts. “L-Let’s just swim,” Bill blurts out with surprising clarity. Mike’s thankful expression isn’t lost on him as they share a short glance that causes inexplicable heat in Bill’s cheeks. 

  
“You heard the man!” Richie shouts in his “British” accent, “jump in Eds!” He pushes Eddie towards the cliff side. “Don’t fucking don’t that!” He screeches, digging his feet in the ground. “Why? You wanna skinny dip instead? I’m down.” Eddie’s cheeks noticeably turn pink, “You’re so fucking weird.” And everyone erupts into laughter.    
“Last one in is a loser!” Bev shouts, running to the cliff side. The four boys run after her, giggling and shouting.    
  
“Give me a hand?” Mike asks. “Huh? Oh, s-sure,” Bill lends his hand to the sitting boy. Mike pulls himself up, “thanks,” he smiles. Bill is glued to the ground as Mike’s gaze remains on him. “Aren’t you going to go in?” Mike asks with shifting eyes.   
  
“I-I c-can w-wait,” he stumbles out.    
“Well I was going to get into my-“  _ Underwear. To swim. Jesus Christ. _ “Oh r-right, s-s-sorry.” Bill felt his tongue swell up in his mouth, lost on what to say. Why was he being awkward around Mike? Mike was his friend, he’d been nervous when they’d first met but there was no reason to be anymore. “I’ll see you down there.” Mike smiles again. Bill nods.     
-   
In the water, he finds his eyes resting on Mike more often than not. His peaceful smile and eyes look they hung the sun itself to him. His laugh fills Bill’s chest with something fluttery and warm. Almost like he needs to throw up. “You alright, Bill? You look pale.” Eddie asks, ripping away his stare. Richie swims over, “He’s always been a vampire, Eds. Quit being paranoid and get on my shoulders. We’re playing chicken.”    
-   
One by one the losers leave the quarry. Well, actually, in groups.  _ For safety  _ Bill insists. Ben jumps to accompany Bev when she says she should be getting home soon, Stan joins them. Richie and Eddie leave a little later, Richie covered in bandages and groaning in pain. “ _ I told you not run up the trail, Rich, there’s rocks everywhere. _ ” They leave with Richie’s arm slung around Eddie’s neck for support. Bill didn’t think the situation called for that, but who’s to say with those two. Now there’s only him and Mike, lying on rocks sunbathing. Bill was enjoying their comfortable silence. 

They could talk, they share a lot of the same interests and Bill certainly likes the sound of Mike’s voice drenched in passion for a topic, but it’s peaceful like this. A change of pace from their lovably loud friends. Bill finds that his eyes are drawn to his friend again, sprawled on his stomach. The unwavering sun shining on his smooth, bare skin and highlighting his slight muscles relaxed in his leisurely state. Bill can’t get himself tear his eyes away no matter how hard he tries. When Mike shifts to face him, Bill screws his eyes shut tightly.    
“Bill, you asleep?”  

  
“Y-yes,” he answers with eyes still closed. Mike lets out a laugh that Bill thinks could solve all of the world’s problems. “I should be getting back soon, supper is probably almost ready.” He says as his arms stretch over his head and he stands on his tip toes.  _ Sleepy never looked so good _ . He shakes the thought out of his head and realizes he didn’t exactly hear what his friend had said. “W-what?” Mike gives him a puzzled stare, “You alright, Big Bill? You’ve been acting funny all day.”    
“S-s-s-sor-r,” he sighs and curses himself, “s-s-o-r-r-“.  “There’s no need to be, I just want to make sure you’re alright.” Mike mercifully cuts in. Bill smiles, “I’m f-fine. Now w-what where you saying?”    
“I should get home.”    
They dress in relative silence as Bill tries to keep his gaze to the ground. He changes quickly and waits for his friend to finish, averting his eyes. As if he has a vendetta against Bill’s sanity, Mike walks towards him with his shirt only covering his torso, pulling it down as he approaches him. “Ready?” Bill gulps, like he’s going to choke, and nods.    
  
They approach the bikes and Bill feels a little more calm as Mike starts rambling about the book he’s reading at the moment,    
“It’s on the reading list for my English class but I got a head start. It’s history and romance and it’s a little gory sometimes but it’s good.”   
“W-what is it again?”    
“A Tale of Two Cities. I know we all have to read it this year anyway, but I think you should read it before. It’s awesome, you’d love it.”’ Bill feels himself red again, the mention of him from Mike makes his mind buzz, like he has a headache. “W-what makes you s-say that?”    
Mike kicks a rock out of his way gently, “I don’t know, it reminds of the way you write,” he looks back to Bill again, “when you let me read it, that is.”    
The bikes come into their view and Mike’s face falls. 

“It’s okay to go ahead of me, I gotta walk it.”    
“I sh-shouldn’t have even let you c-come here by yourself, nobody should be out alone. N-not in this t-town.”    
“Bill-“    
“I’m serious.”    
Mike knew more than most, but he lets it go. There is silence for a beat and Bill fiddles with his lips, biting the top one swollen and pink as he thinks something over. 

“H-here,” Bill says, gripping his bike handles, “W-we can ride double. Your dad can c-come back in his truck and g-get your bike r-right?”

The well loved rust and sheen of silver is still big for Bill despite his wiry teenage limbs. Seeing it fly down the street, Mike sometimes worries Bill will be jolted into the air, made weightless by the speed. Bill is unaware of that fact as Mike nods and climbs on behind him. 

Mike’s arms, made strong by years of farm work find their way to Bill’s waist as he kicks up the kickstand. It makes a creek that cuts through the sound of the gentle wind that sways branches to dance. The leaves jostle like the flutter in Bill’s stomach upon Mike’s grasp. The sunlight twinkles between the emerald jewels of trees that have laid their roots here before Bill was born. A thought pops into his head then, light and profound somehow simultaneously, like the last days of summer, 

_ All is green and all is good _

With Mike’s arms around him. He blushes at the realization, but holds himself the same, 

“R-Ready?”

“As I will ever be, Denbrough.” And Bill can hear his smile in his words. 

They zip down the dirt path surrounded by trees and into their home town. The burning pavement is made hotter by the Silver’s speeding tires and Bill feels a tighter grip around him as they fly down Main Street. It’s a while to his farm, but Bill doesn’t think it lasts long enough. The last bits of sun linger as the Bill pedals backwards. Mike untangles himself. 

“Thank you,” he says.

“A-anytime,” with a side smile. They are still very much in one another’s space when Mike leans over. He does something then, he kisses Bill on the cheek. Soft and quick. “I’ll see you later,” he takes a step away towards his house. 

“L-l-later,” he can barely breathe out. Mike walks and into his house as the sun disappears. Bill rides home, stopping every couple of blocks to find the phantom mark on his cheek and smile. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Familiar feelings resurface when Mike finds Bill walking in the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been so long. I’m the worst. Here’s part two!

Bill Denbrough is 18 years old and the world is collapsing in front of him.    


College applications are piling up for him to fill out on his own. His parents will lend him the grace of occasionally asking how it’s going and if he had them done yet, but no more.   
_Don’t complain, at least you can fill them out in plain sight_. _Eddie’s gotta do this whole thing under the table._ _Other kids have it worse._ His mind tells him on this November morning where is stomach is in a tight jumble simply from waking up.   
  
The losers are all pretty stressed on what the future will hold and none of them have been seeing each other as much as they would like to. Richie’s holed up in his room, basically on house arrest until he gets some work done. Bill doesn’t blame Went and Maggie for that one. His hair no doubt frizzing up 10 fold with all the twisting of it he does in his fingers while he’s thinking.   
Bev is on a lot of visits, trying to get herself the hell out of state with her hands tapping anxiously at her sides while contemplating her future.   
Stan is applying for scholarships while trying to finish his Eagle Scout requirements, all while sporting purple bags under his eyes.   
Eddie is always on his feet, writing his papers. In coffee shops, at the library, anywhere but home. Bill swore he saw him fill out extra circular information at the quarry.   
Bill knows all of this, and tries to ease up on and comfort the losers as best he can. He can’t help but miss his friends. Not seeing them every weekend anymore made the hole in his chest expand. But he doesn’t say that to any of them. They don’t need anymore stress.

He follows his morning routine like he always does, inhaling sharply at the presence of Zack and or Sharon in their kitchen. He makes his coffee black, grabs his money for lunch, and slips on his converse before heading out the door. 

The days were starting to get colder and darker, not the best climate for a person like Bill. A person gentle of heart and of frame. The air sends a chill through him as he realizes he probably should’ve worn a jacket atop his flannel. 

_ No time to turn back now though.  _

He might’ve had the time, had he had different parents. 

The walk to school is cold, but bearable, until five minutes past his house it starts to snow. 

He could go back, call to carpool with Richie and Eddie, but he doesn’t want to pester them. 

_ Don’t be a bother, Bill. _

_ It’s only another 20 minutes.  _

The dry air and the bare trees were a visual reminder of his shitty and sad mood, sinking him deeper into whatever he was feeling. He starts to shake and breathe into his hands as an attempt to warm them up. 

 

A little while along, halfway into catching a cold, Bill hears a car roar down the road beside him. And a sturdy  _ honk  _ along with it. 

The owner of the truck is Mike Hanlon, who inherited it from his dad when he purchased a new one. 

Mike pulls to the curb and rolls down his window, 

“Bill! What are you doing?” He shouts.

“G-goin to school,” Bill says, trying to smile through the shiver. 

“Are you insane? Get in!”

He walks towards the car, 

“Hurry! Before you freeze to death!”

He does. 

-

The cabin of the truck is warm and Mike’s smile is friendly. It gives him the same twinge in his chest it has since a summer day a few years ago. It seems far off now. 

“I swear I don’t see you for a week and you’re half dead, Big Bill.” The car is in park as Mike pulls off his tan bomber jacket with faux fur lining and hands it to Bill. He’s in a hoodie underneath it, dark gray that shows off his muscular form. 

“W-what are you doing?” He blushes. 

“Giving you my jacket,” holding it out to Bill. 

Bill just stares at him, wide eyes.

“Or forcing it on you, rather.” He wraps the jacket around Bill’s shoulders as Bill sits, mortified and excilerted at his touch. 

“What’s wrong?” Mike asks, concerning flooding.

“N-nothing,” He smiles, half heartedly.

“You’re stuttering,”

“I d-do that.”

“Not since sophomore year. But nice try.” 

He looks at the floor of Mike’s car, trying to gather himself. 

“It’s n-nothing really, I’ve got to get to school,” 

“Let me take you,” Mike began to put the car in drive. 

“No, it’s okay-“ 

“I’m going that way anyway. You always help the rest of us. Let me help you out, okay?”

Bill nods, slightly. 

 

The radio plays soft music as they drive. Bill sits with the fact that he hasn’t talked to Mike in a while, over the phone sure, in a failing attempt to make plans. But they hadn’t had a real conversation in over a month. Guilt forms in his stomach as they don’t say much to each other. “S-so how are you?” He cringes at the weird, distant nature of the question. It sounds if they were only begrudging acquaintances. 

Mike shrugs, eyes on the road. 

“Could be better. I miss you,” Bill is shocked at his bluntness. Mike coughs, “guys.”

_ Right.  _ They drive past the school, 

“H-Hey you missed the-“ 

Mike chuckles,“You didn’t really think I was taking you to school, Bill? On a day like this? When I haven’t seen you in god knows how long? C’mon,” he says as he looks over at him, brown eyes twinkling,  “Play hooky with me.” 

Bill thinks he’d do anything Mike asked for that look. 

-

 

They stop to get the bags of cow feed Mike was originally out for and haul them into the trunk. Mike insists that he wait in the car, the bags of feed are heavy and Bill already looks like he’s about to fall over. He waits reluctantly, watching Mike place them on the bed of the truck. He can’t say he doesn’t enjoy the sight. When Mike catches him watching, he winks effortlessly. 

Bill wants to shrivel up right there. 

 

_ “ _ Sorry,” he says as he gets back in the car. “Now we can start our day, where do you wanna go?”

 

“The feed reminded me, I haven’t seen the cows in a while.” 

 

Bill had made frequent trips to the Hanlon farm in earlier years. Not so much recently, but he always loved it there. The animals, the large trees, the hanlon home that always smelled like something homemade. He had really missed it. Especially on his worse days. 

 

They spend all day there. Mike reintroduces the cows to Bill, they definitely remember him as they lean into his hand as he pets them. They make lunch and Mike makes Bill eat a second sandwich. They talk about their futures, lying on the carpeted floor. 

Mike gives Bill some books from his homeschool required and personal collections. 

“Your favorite genres: Frankenstein for horror. Wuthering heights for romance.”

 

_ Talk about mixed messages.  _

 

Bill found the day startlingly similar to the one of a few summers ago. But now they were on the verge of the rest of their lives, not just a new school year. And his  _ feelings,  _ whatever they were, for Mike were now a familiar subject for embarrassment, not a new revaluation. He tried to keep his eyes from falling on his friend’s in silent moments but he couldn’t help it. When their eyes would meet, Bill tried to look away fast. 

 

Until the end of the day, when Bill was supposed to be getting home from school. 

They get back in the truck and Mike begins driving as the two fell to silence again. 

_ Back at square one. _ They pull up to the Denbrough driveway as the song on the radio ends. Bill moves to take off the jacket Mike had given him earlier. 

_ “Keep it.”  _ He says, with a face so genuine and caring. 

It hits him-  _ Bill Denbrough took care of everyone and Mike Hanlon took care of him.  _

He wants to say thanks for everything. 

“Thanks for the ride.” 

Mike almost laughs, “Just returning a favor.”

Bill smiles, Mike’s cheeks are darker as he does too.

“You already d-did,” Bill says, caution be damned. 

“That so?”

Bill points to his cheek, “Remember?”

“I do.” Mike sits, the opportunity almost passes him, then he says, “But want to refresh my memory anyway?” 

Bill leans into kiss him on the mouth this time. It’s soft and warm and full of love. Mike’s hand rests on the small of Bill’s back as their lips meet and tongues dance together. Bill pulls back, hesitant, eyes searching Mike’s for reassurance. 

Mike says something then, 

“I love you, Bill.” Gentle and calm and sure. Like it’s the truest thing in the world. And it might just be. 

“I love you too, Mike.” 

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll pick you up for actual school this time” 

“You don’t have to-“

Mike gives him a look, face upturned. Bill stops himself, 

“O-okay.” He begins walking up the driveway, Mike putting the car in reverse. “Mike!” He shouts, halfway up the walkway. 

He stops the truck. Bill runs up to his window.“Will you kiss me again tomorrow?” 

He smiles, nods, “And everyday after.”

Bill can’t wipe the happiness off his face as he waves Mike off, knowing he’ll keep his promise. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a comment pls I need validation. Visit me on tungle.hell (tumblr)- @coffeekaspbrak.


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